Georgia summers come with two things you cannot argue with: sweet peaches and hot boiled peanuts. All over the state, roadside farm markets and family orchards stack their shelves with juicy fruit, fresh produce, homemade ice cream, and bags of peanuts you can grab on your way out the door.
Some of these spots have been growing the same crops for generations, and a few even let you pick your own. Whether you are cruising the mountains up north or heading toward the coast, there is a market ready to slow you down for an afternoon.
Here are eight Georgia farm markets worth planning a trip around, each with its own reason to pull off the road and fill up a basket.
1. Jaemor Farms, Alto, GA
Up in the North Georgia foothills, Jaemor Farms has become a landmark for anyone driving Cornelia Highway. The market keeps its bins stocked with fresh fruit, vegetables, and Georgia peaches in a range of varieties when they are in season.
Beyond the produce, the draw here is the extras. Homemade ice cream, including a peach flavor people go out of their way for, sits alongside fried pies, cakes, sweet potatoes, and kettle corn.
The boiled peanuts are a regular reason folks stop by, and it is hard to leave without a bag. Families also come for the hayride and games, which turn a quick produce run into a longer visit.
Jaemor is open Monday through Saturday from 7 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday from 1 to 6 PM. Weekend afternoons run busiest, so a weekday trip is calmer.
There is free parking, and you will find a restroom on-site. It sits at 5340 Cornelia Hwy in Alto.
2. Dickey Farms, Musella, GA
For a peach stop with deep roots, Dickey Farms in the small town of Musella is hard to beat. This year-round farm sells fresh peaches known for being sweet and juicy, and for plenty of people it has become a summer tradition worth driving miles for.
The shelves go well past peaches. You will find handmade candies, pecans, pralines, muscadines, pickles, jellies, and fresh boiled peanuts all under one roof.
When the heat sets in, the strawberry and peach ice cream are easy picks, and a slice of watermelon rounds out the visit. It is the kind of place where you grab a little of everything.
Dickey Farms is open every day from 9 AM to 5:30 PM, with Saturday afternoons being the busiest stretch. Parking is free, and it makes for a quick, satisfying stop at 3440 Musella Rd. If you are passing through central Georgia in peach season, it is an easy detour.
3. Lane Southern Orchards, Fort Valley, GA
Sitting in a rocking chair with homemade peach cobbler and ice cream is about as Southern as an afternoon gets, and Lane Southern Orchards in Fort Valley makes that easy. The family has been growing peaches and pecans here for over a century.
The market is a sizable roadside store and cafe, with a fully stocked fruit stand that carries seasonal produce like strawberries, peaches, and corn. Inside, you will find peach salsas, dressings, pickled veggies, jellies, fresh pecans, and boiled peanuts.
Hungry visitors can settle in for buffet-style Southern fare, a salad bar, and that famous peach cobbler. There is also a gift shop to browse before you head out.
Families get more than a snack here. A hayride rolls through the pecan orchard on a country road, and there is a corn maze and a playground for the kids.
Lane is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM at 50 Lane Rd. Dogs are welcome, even inside, and parking is available on-site.
4. Penland Orchards & Farm Market (formerly Penland’s Apple House), Ellijay, GA
Ellijay is apple country, but Penland Orchards proves the mountains can do peaches too. This family farm has been growing Gilmer County’s best since 1936, now run by five generations and counting.
The market shifts with the calendar, offering fresh peaches, apples, vegetables, ciders, and jams as the seasons roll through. Baked goods are a highlight, especially the homemade fried pies and apple fritters.
Peanut fans have a reason to stop as well, since the boiled peanuts here earn steady praise right alongside the fruit. It is the sort of place where you come for apples and leave with a little of everything.
Because it is a seasonal operation, Penland opens each summer and runs into the winter. During the season, hours are daily from 9 AM to 6 PM at 41 Talona Mountain Rd. There is a restroom and free parking, making it an easy pause on a North Georgia mountain drive.
5. Mercier Orchards, Blue Ridge, GA
Spread across 300 scenic acres in Blue Ridge, Mercier Orchards has been a fixture since 1943. The big draw is pick-your-own seasonal fruit, so you can walk the rows and gather your own before heading to the market.
The on-site store is stocked wide and deep, carrying everything from fresh produce to boiled peanuts, and even gluten-free options for those who need them. It is easy to lose track of time browsing the shelves.
The peaches here have a strong reputation among folks who have tasted their way across the state. Pair that with apple picking in the cooler months, and Mercier gives you a reason to return in more than one season.
Hours run Monday through Thursday from 9 AM to 5 PM, and Friday through Sunday from 9 AM to 6 PM. You will find it at 8660 Blue Ridge Dr with free on-site parking.
It has earned its spot as a standard Blue Ridge stop.
6. Mark’s Melon Patch, Dawson, GA
Down in southwest Georgia, Mark’s Melon Patch keeps things running all year and leans into what the land grows. When it is in season, you will find vegetables, peaches, tomatoes, corn, and peanuts, along with local honey.
The boiled peanuts are a signature here, and you can even grab them by the gallon bag if one handful is not enough. Ice cream by the scoop gives you a cool reason to linger.
There are some fun oddities too, like locally grown dried gourds in all sizes. Between the prepared food and the produce, it is a full farm stand rather than a single-item stop.
Kids are looked after with a playground, which makes this a relaxed family break. The farm is open daily from 8 AM to 7 PM, with Saturday afternoons drawing the biggest crowds and Tuesday evenings the quietest.
You will find it at 8580 Albany Hwy in Dawson, with parking on-site and a restroom available.
7. Lawson Peach Shed Ice Cream, Morven, GA
If peaches had a dessert headquarters, Lawson Peach Shed in Morven would be a strong contender. This Centennial Farm pairs a farm market with a homemade ice cream shop that goes all in on the fruit.
The always-available flavors include peach, blueberry, butter pecan, triple chocolate, cookies and cream, and strawberry, plus a special flavor that rotates each week. Grab a rocking chair and dig into hot peach cobbler, peach milkshakes, or a frozen peach lemonade float.
The market side carries fresh-picked peaches, melons, berries, other produce, and boiled peanuts. There is even a lineup of peach drinks like peach tea and peach lemonade to sip while you shop.
Hours are limited, so plan around them. The shop is closed Monday through Thursday, open Friday from 1 to 7 PM, Saturday from 10 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday from 1 to 7 PM.
Casual seating and table service make it good for groups and kids at 8545 Valdosta Hwy.
8. Davis Produce, Savannah, GA
Closer to the coast, Davis Produce brings the peach-and-peanut tradition right to the edge of Savannah. The sign out front says it plainly: home of the boiled green peanuts.
This family-run shop carries a wide selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, plus canned goods, jams, and pickles. The tomatoes have a loyal following, and the boiled peanuts are a headline item that keeps regulars coming back.
When the season is right, peaches show up in the mix, and there is even a key lime pie worth saving room for. Pecans round out the local Southern staples.
The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM, with weekend afternoons being the busiest. It works well as a quick stop rather than a long lingering visit.
You will find it at 7755 US-80 in Savannah, making it an easy pull-over on the way to or from the coast.
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